FN Archimer Export Format PT J TI Isotope and fatty acid trends along continental shelf depth gradients: Inshore versus offshore hydrological influences on benthic trophic functioning BT AF CHOUVELON, Tiphaine SCHAAL, G. GRALL, J. PERNET, Fabrice PERDRIAU, M. A-PERNET, E. J. LE BRIS, H. AS 1:1,2;2:3;3:4;4:3;5:1;6:1,5;7:1; FF 1:PDG-RBE-BE-LBCM;2:;3:;4:PDG-RBE-PFOM-PI;5:;6:;7:; C1 Agrocampus Ouest, UMR Agrocampus Ouest INRA Ecol & Sante Ecosyst 98, F-35042 Rennes, France. IFREMER, Unite Biogeochim & Ecotoxicol BE, LBCM, F-44311 Nantes 03, France. UMR 6539 IFREMER UBO CNRS IRD, Lab Sci Environm MARin LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzane, France. Inst Univ Europeen MER, Observ Sci Univers, UMS 3113, F-29280 Plouzane, France. IFREMER, Unite Etud Ecosyst Profonds EEP, LEP, ZI Pointe Diable, F-29280 Plouzane, France. C2 AGROCAMPUS OUEST, FRANCE IFREMER, FRANCE IFREMER, FRANCE UBO, FRANCE IFREMER, FRANCE SI NANTES BREST SE PDG-RBE-BE-LBCM PDG-RBE-PFOM-PI IN WOS Ifremer jusqu'en 2018 copubli-france copubli-univ-france IF 3.512 TC 6 UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00275/38612/37468.pdf LA English DT Article AB Anthropogenic activities and land-based inputs into the sea may influence the trophic structure and functioning of coastal and continental shelf ecosystems, despite the numerous opportunities and services the latter offer to humans and wildlife. In addition, hydrological structures and physical dynamics potentially influence the sources of organic matter (e.g., terrestrial versus marine, or fresh material versus detrital material) entering marine food webs. Understanding the significance of the processes that influence marine food webs and ecosystems (e.g., terrestrial inputs, physical dynamics) is crucially important because trophic dynamics are a vital part of ecosystem integrity. This can be achieved by identifying organic matter sources that enter food webs along inshore–offshore transects. We hypothesised that regional hydrological structures over wide continental shelves directly control the benthic trophic functioning across the shelf. We investigated this issue along two transects in the northern ecosystem of the Bay of Biscay (north-eastern Atlantic). Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis (SIA) and fatty acid analysis (FAA) were conducted on different complementary ecosystem compartments that include suspended particulate organic matter (POM), sedimentary organic matter (SOM), and benthic consumers such as bivalves, large crustaceans and demersal fish. Samples were collected from inshore shallow waters (at ∼1 m in depth) to more than 200 m in depth on the offshore shelf break. Results indicated strong discrepancies in stable isotope (SI) and fatty acid (FA) compositions in the sampled compartments between inshore and offshore areas, although nitrogen SI (δ15N) and FA trends were similar along both transects. Offshore the influence of a permanently stratified area (described previously as a “cold pool”) was evident in both transects. The influence of this hydrological structure on benthic trophic functioning (i.e., on the food sources available for consumers) was especially apparent across the northern transect, due to unusual carbon isotope compositions (δ13C) in the compartments. At stations under the cold pool, SI and FA organism compositions indicated benthic trophic functioning based on a microbial food web, including a significant contribution of heterotrophic planktonic organisms and/or of SOM, notably in stations under the cold pool. On the contrary, inshore and shelf break areas were characterised by a microalgae-based food web (at least in part for the shelf break area, due to slope current and upwelling that can favour fresh primary production sinking on site). SIA and FAA were relevant and complementary tools, and consumers better medium- to long-term system integrators than POM samples, for depicting the trophic functioning and dynamics along inshore–offshore transects over continental shelves. PY 2015 PD NOV SO Progress In Oceanography SN 0079-6611 PU Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd VL 138 UT 000367106900011 BP 158 EP 175 DI 10.1016/j.pocean.2015.07.013 ID 38612 ER EF